AP Computer Science Principles Big Idea 1

Collaboration in computing

Working together with others to improve computing innovations and incorporate diverse perspectives./n

Purpose of collaboration

To create better, less biased, and more user-friendly computing innovations./n

Benefits of diverse perspectives

Helps avoid bias and improve program functionality by incorporating different user needs and ideas./n

Effective collaboration

Equal participation, open communication, and early establishment of collaborative norms./n

Iterative development

A process that includes ongoing testing, feedback, and refinement of a program./n

Incremental development

Building a program piece-by-piece, testing each part before combining them into the whole./n

User-focused design

Development that prioritizes the needs, feedback, and experiences of the intended users./n

Development phases

Investigating, designing, prototyping, and testing a program./n

Documentation

Written explanations of how code works and why certain choices were made during development./n

Program inputs

Data received by a program (e.g., user actions, other programs) to produce outputs./n

Program outputs

Data or actions produced by a program based on inputs or internal states./n

Code segment

A specific part of a program that performs a particular function./n

User interface design

Creating the layout and interaction elements of a program to make it easy to use./n

Event-driven programming

Programs that execute based on specific user or system actions, like clicks or key presses./n

Feedback

Input from users or collaborators used to improve a program./n

Abstraction

Hiding complex details to focus on high-level functionality when designing code./n

Program specification

A detailed description of how a program should function and interact with users./n

Planning in development

Using diagrams, storyboards, or other visuals to map out how a program should behave./n

Program behavior

How a program functions and responds to various inputs during execution./n

Program testing

Checking that a program works correctly for all intended inputs and situations./n

Pair programming

A collaborative model where two programmers work together at one workstation./n

Online collaboration tools

Platforms that allow for real-time sharing and feedback during program development./n

Conflict resolution

Working through disagreements to ensure productive collaboration in team projects./n

Acknowledging sources

Giving credit for any code or ideas used that were created by others./n

Comments in code

Notes added to code to explain its purpose and improve readability for others./n

Common planning tools

Flowcharts, pseudocode, and storyboards used to design programs before coding begins./n

Program constraints

Limits or requirements such as hardware, software, or user expectations that influence development./n

Consensus building

Reaching agreement in a group to make collaborative decisions about a project./n

Error identification

Detecting mistakes in code using testing or code review./n

Debugging

Fixing bugs or problems discovered in a program during development or testing./n